Kukla's Korner Hockey

Although he is recognized as one of the top stars in the league and respected for his work ethic and skills, Parise wants more. He wants a ring.

“When you’re here for seven years and have never been past the second round, you realize it’s going by quick,” he said. “You see how hard it is. There are 29 teams every year that are disappointed, so it’s not easy. You’ve got to get lucky, you have to have a great team and you have to have a healthy team and avoid injuries at key times. A lot of things have to fall into place.”

This is a pivotal season in Parise’s career. He will become an unrestricted free agent July 1. Although the Devils say they’d like to sign him to a long-term deal, it is likely he will test the market.

How the Devils do this season and what Parise perceives as the club’s future chances of winning a Cup will be hugely instrumental in whether he stays with the Devils.

By trading for him, it puts Detroit in the driver’s seat to negotiate before he is officially UFA. It also gives him a chance to see how awesome playing in Detroit is so he can make the wise decision of taking a slightly smaller paycheck to play there. It also shows him Detroit is very interested in him, so much so that they’ll give up something to get first dibs.

I’d love to see Parise come to Detroit by trade deadline. What they’d have to give up is really the important question, not whether they should give something up.

Jim P, are you a stuck transplant like me?
Yes, trade for Parise. Do it (exclamation point)

Posted by
Chris in Hockey Hell
from Ann Arbor, MI but LIVING in Columbia, TN on 11/21/11 at 05:39 PM ET

Why not be proactive and attempt to win this year rather than just hoping Lidstrom will come back for ANOTHER year to try and go out on a winning note?

Who says they won’t win this year anyway? Are you part of the “Doom and Gloom” crowd because the Wings haven’t had a 20-1-0 start?

Or maybe he can take a chance at being outbid in the summer when he might also be looking for a #1 defenseman, and then instead of Parise we can end up with the forward equivalent of Mike Commodore.

Posted by Garth on 11/21/11 at 12:44 PM ET

Might, maybe, could—all things that have not come to pass. What would you be willing to give up for Parise? Enough so that the Wings can’t or don’t win this year?

By trading for him, it puts Detroit in the driver’s seat to negotiate before he is officially UFA.

Psssh, free agent negotiations are a crap-shoot anyway. If he wants to play in Detroit, he’ll play there regardless of who throws what money his way (or it could work the other way as well).

It also shows him Detroit is very interested in him, so much so that they’ll give up something to get first dibs.

How do we know Holland even wants Parise? I mean, it’s practically a no-brainer, but just because all of us would sell the farm (so to speak) for him doesn’t mean Holland wants to.

I’d love to see Parise come to Detroit by trade deadline. What they’d have to give up is really the important question, not whether they should give something up.

That, right there, is the key. Like I asked Garth, what would YOU be willing to give up for what amounts to Parise’s negotiating rights (unless he actually makes a difference in the lineup—which we’ll never know unless it happens)?

Posted by
RedMenace
from the Church of Jesus Lashoff on 11/21/11 at 06:50 PM ET

Are you part of the “Doom and Gloom” crowd because the Wings haven’t had a 20-1-0 start?

Doom and gloom, no. Realistic, yes

. What would you be willing to give up for Parise? Enough so that the Wings can’t or don’t win this year?

What do you think a Parise is going to command? Lidstrom, Datsyuk and Franzen?

Psssh, free agent negotiations are a crap-shoot anyway.

Absolutely, which is why it’s good to have a guy in your stable already. It’s much easier to have someone play for your team for a little while and if he likes it and the management likes him, you can actually negotiate. Let a guy simply slip into free agency and all you’re doing is bidding for him, making it more and more likely that you’ll overpay, a la Scott Gomez, Chris Drury and Brad Richards.

How do we know Holland even wants Parise?

What kind of question is this? In any of these scenarios, trading for him or signing him in the off-season, we are all (you included) assuming that Holland has an interest in him. If he’s not interested then it’s not a case of trade vs UFA signing.

Like I asked Garth, what would YOU be willing to give up for what amounts to Parise’s negotiating rights

I don’t know. Again, we’re simply talking hypotheticals here.

Let me ask you this though. Would you rather give up something to bring Parise in on a test basis (final quarter of the season + playoffs) before committing to him longer term or would you rather eat up extra cap space over a long period as a result of a bidding war on July 1st for someone who you don’t even know will fit into the system?

In the past few years we’ve seen Hossa, Samuelsson, Kyle Quincey, Mattias Ritola Tomas Kopecky all go for nothing, so would it be any worse to give up an unknown quantity or a prospect or some picks for a guy who is at least something of a known quanitity?

What do you think a Parise is going to command? Lidstrom, Datsyuk and Franzen?

I have no idea, which is why I asked you. I’m not smart enough, don’t play the NHLxx series, or have any training as a GM, so anything I suggest will be useless.

What kind of question is this?

It’s an honest one. Perhaps Holland knows better than we do (*GASP*) about what it’s going to take to get Parise, and doesn’t think it’s worth it. I don’t know if Holland is after him because my name isn’t Ken Holland, and I have no “sources” inside the Wings’ front office.

Let me ask you this though. Would you rather give up something to bring Parise in on a test basis (final quarter of the season + playoffs) before committing to him longer term or would you rather eat up extra cap space over a long period as a result of a bidding war on July 1st for someone who you don’t even know will fit into the system?

Again, depends on what is being given up. I don’t like to read tea leaves when it comes to stuff like this, because I can’t say one way or the other what’s going to happen.

In the past few years we’ve seen Hossa, Samuelsson, Kyle Quincey, Mattias Ritola Tomas Kopecky all go for nothing, so would it be any worse to give up an unknown quantity or a prospect or some picks for a guy who is at least something of a known quanitity?

Posted by Garth on 11/21/11 at 05:01 PM ET

If that’s all it takes, then sure, do it without even a second thought. However, do you really think that’s all it’s going to take?

Posted by
RedMenace
from the Church of Jesus Lashoff on 11/21/11 at 07:13 PM ET

chances are they’ll only trade forr pics at the deadline.. maybe a prospect like tatar or pulkinen… devils got kovy for cormierthe and some pics.. maybe aa couple low end D too

It’s an honest one. Perhaps Holland knows better than we do (*GASP*) about what it’s going to take to get Parise, and doesn’t think it’s worth it. I don’t know if Holland is after him because my name isn’t Ken Holland, and I have no “sources” inside the Wings’ front office.

Yes, but the whole conversation is predicated on the idea that he’s interested. If you don’t think he’s interested then why are you even in the conversation? This isn’t about whether he’s interested or not.

You yourself advocated Detroit pursuing him via free agency, which is the discussion. Would YOU or I try to get him into a Red Wings jersey if it were up to us is what the conversation is.

I have no idea, which is why I asked you.

Neither do I. Whether I think Holland should try to trade for Parise is obviously assuming that he can make a reasonable trade. I don’t think anyone is saying “blindly accept whatever Jersey wants for him”, it’s “Holland should attempt to negotiate a trade that will be beneficial in the short term and long term while not giving up the farm.

However, do you really think that’s all it’s going to take?

I don’t know. I’m not suggesting that I be the person who negotiates the deal for Parise, just that Parise is a guy I would like to see wearing a Red Wings jersey and I think it would be a good use of the available cap space Ken Holland currently has.

Kovalchuk (along with Anssi Salmela) cost NJ two roster players (one of whom was on an expiring contract), a prospect and a first rounder. Marian Hossa (along with Pascal Dupuis) cost Pittsburgh the same. Parise, I’m guessing, would likely cost something similar. I don’t know who specifically would have to be involved, but I do know that we’ve got an abundance of bottom-six level forwards and unproven youngsters and not enough bonafide top-six forwards, and I’d be willing to entertain a lot of offers…

I don’t like to read tea leaves when it comes to stuff like this, because I can’t say one way or the other what’s going to happen.

None of this conversation is a binding contract for either Detroit, New Jersey or Zack Parise.

The conversation has been about whether Detroit should pursue him and if so, should they trade for him or go after him during free agency.

Throwing in “is Detroit even interested” and “what exactly would you be willing to give up” are not even related to the conversation. Obviously we’re working under the assumption that Detroit is interested, or there wouldn’t be the trade vs UFA discussion at all, and obviously those of us advocating for a trade are suggesting that Holland get the best deal for Detroit without crippling the team in either the short of the long term. Parise for Hudler? Pull the trigger. Parise for the entire 2001-12 roster? I’d probably not be in favour of that.

yeah, this will be the crux. if jersey isn’t in the hunt for the Cup, it would make it more likely that Parise won’t re-sign and, theoretically, this is when Jersey would shop him. They’ll never shop him if they A) Need him for a Cup run or B) Seriously think they’ll be able to re-sign him.

Basically, I think the wheels will have to fall off before Jersey would consider moving him.

Yes, but the whole conversation is predicated on the idea that he’s interested. If you don’t think he’s interested then why are you even in the conversation? This isn’t about whether he’s interested or not.

No, the whole conversation is about whether or not he is (or should be) interested, not that he certainly is. No need to be a dick about it.

Throwing in “is Detroit even interested” and “what exactly would you be willing to give up” are not even related to the conversation. Obviously we’re working under the assumption that Detroit is interested…

No, that’s the assumption YOU’RE working under; I’m trying to provide a counter-point for the sake of discussion because it’s a relevant one, not to be ragged on.

Posted by
RedMenace
from the Church of Jesus Lashoff on 11/22/11 at 11:16 AM ET

No need to be a dick about it.

Right, I’m the dick. We were talking about whether Detroit should try and sign him as a UFA or trade for him and you changed the whole conversation.

But I’m the dick.

There’s no way Detroit should trade Zetterberg of Crosby and then flip Crosby for Parise. No need to be a dick about it.

There, now I changed the conversation in midstream and you’re the dick.